Port Elizabeth has its equivalent of the Vodacom Durban July this Sunday at Fairview, the Gr 3 R350,000 Algoa Cup over 2000m, and some good value could possibly be found in the talented but enigmatic Mitch Wise-trained Taarish.

This five-year-old Australian-bred Encosta De Lago gelding has the habit of dropping himself out at the beginning of his races, leaving himself with too much ground to make up in the closing stages. He always finishes well and connections are usually left wondering how much closer he would have been without his early race antics. However, the blinkers have at last been fitted and off a merit rating of 88, which sees him carrying a weight of just 52,5kg, he could be worth a small each/way bet at likely long odds. The cheek pieces didn’t appear to help in his penultimate start over 1800m on the poly, but his tailed off position early on in the race on that occasion had more to do with  dwelling in the starting stalls.

The big race has been won by a Cape Town raider for the last five times in succession.

However, the selection to do best of the Cape-based trainers’ horses is Current Event, a Justin Snaith-trained horse who has run his last three races in Port Elizabeth. He is a similar type to the winner of the last two Algoa Cups, Disco Al, in that he is effective over the 200m trip, but can win over further too. He looks to have been given the perfect preparation and jumps from a plum draw of six under Robert Khathi with just 52,5kg to carry.

Snaith also has a very interesting runner in the Jet Master gelding Masterly, who has improved from a 50-something merit rated horse to an 87 since arriving in PE from a Johannesburg yard earlier this year. He has won his last four starts, all on the poly, in fine style and sneaks into the handicap with bottom weight and from a good draw under the quality rider Keagan de Melo. There is no reason why he should not be just as good on turf.

Another of his stablemate’s Krambambuli announced that he is likely to be at his best this year when running on strongly to win over 1800m at Durbanville in his seasonal reappearance and he could be a big threat under Andrew Fortune, although he has a tricky draw of nine.

The Mike Bass yard send the Jet Master gelding Mountain Master and he has a definite chance as he has dropped back to a competitive merit rating, so only has to carry 52,5kg over a suitable course and distance and from pole position draw under stable jockey Grant van Niekerk.

The Glen Kotzen-trained Cape Town raider Gone Baby Gone is a frustrating sort who can’t be ignored on his best form, although he is 0,5kg under sufferance. His stablemate Political Power, who only has one eye, is an ultra-consistent sort and should be distance suited. His last win was off a one point higher mark, but he does have a tough draw.

The Alan Greeff-trained Kalamein is one of the big local hopes as he is a classy sort who could still be ahead of the handicapper and he has the polished Greg Cheyne aboard, but he unfortunately has to contend with the widest draw of all.

The Dorrie Sham-trained Symbolik should be ideally suited to this trip and in form Karl Zechner rides, although the draw of ten is not easy.

The East Cape polytrack horse of the year Gogetthesherriff is also effective on turf and is distance suited. Being by Go Deputy he is showing no signs of slowing down and is unbeaten in three this season, but he does have a big weight of 61,5kg to lug.

Gothic raids from Cape Town and from a good draw would not be a surprise winner for a trainer-jockey combination who have won this race before, especially considering he is off a two point lower merit rating than his last win. He is a similar type to Disco Al as he is effective over this trip and stays further, so he should be right there.

National champion trainer Sean Tarry sends two raiders down from Johannesburg and Orchestrated must be a runner carrying just 52,5kg from draw two, as he bounced back to form over 1800m on the sand last time in his first outing for over four months.

Stablemate Stonehenge is 2kg under sufferance but actually has Orchestrated beaten on their last meeting over this distance on turf, although that was back in May and the latter ran below par.

Zestful has been off form since arriving in Port Elizabeth and will have to bounce back to form.

Silent Partner finished third last year off a considerably higher merit rating, but is getting a bit long in the tooth now and won’t be carrying many local hopes as he comes into the race 4kg under sufferance.

A chance is taken with Taarish to beat Current Event and Gothic, with Kalamein and Masterly next best.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Taarish (Nkosi Hlophe)